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Bear Biologist Stephen Herrero to Speak

Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott invites the public to celebrate bears and our fascination with these charismatic creatures with Dr. Stephen Herrero, world-renowned bear biologist. Herrero's public appearance is free and will take place from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 16, in the new Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center auditorium at Moose. Internationally known for his work on human-bear conflicts, Herrero is also the author of Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance,among other books and scientific papers.

Through a question-and-answer dialogue, Herrero will explore considerations for bear safety outside the bounds of the most typical human-bear encounters. Attendees are encouraged to bring their questions and engage in an informal conversation. This session will be particularly interesting to those who spend a lot of time out-of-doors in bear habitat. It will include provocative discussions on topics such as cyclist-bear interactions, and how people might chose between using bear spray and playing dead.

Dr. Herrero will present a public talk at 6 p.m. on Friday evening at the Teton County Library in Jackson, Wyoming, prior to his Saturday morning appearance in Grand Teton. His evening presentation will focus on discoveries about bear behavior, and will include interesting highlights and insights about the magical moments that he and others have experienced in observing bears. Local residents and area visitors are encouraged to join both presentations, as each will spotlight different aspects about bears, their behavior, and human safety around bears.

Born in San Francisco, Dr. Herrero earned his Ph.D in animal behavior and ecology from the University of California at Berkeley, and currently serves as professor emeritus with the University of Calgary in Alberta. His extensive research in carnivore ecology, behavior, conservation and management led to the development of policies in bear safety and improved bear conservation across the U.S. and Canada. Herrero is recognized throughout the world as a "leading authority" on bear ecology, behavior and attacks.
Herrero's book, Bear attacks: Their causes and avoidance, has sold over 115,000 copies and been translated into German and Japanese: a testament to our human attraction to—and fear of—bears. He is a founding member of the 'Staying Safe in Bear Country Society,' which produced four bear safety videos in cooperation with the International Association for Bear Research and Management. These videos include, "Staying Safe in Bear Country," "Working in Bear Country," Living in Bear Country," and "Polar Bears: A Guide to Safety."

Grand Teton National Park Foundation will provide breakfast pastries, hot coffee and tea before Dr. Herrero's Saturday morning session to mark the first public event to be held in the new Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center auditorium. Members of the public should come early to enjoy the refreshments and get a first peek at the newly completed auditorium wing.Seating will be first-come, first-served for Dr. Herrero's appearance; the new auditorium accommodates 154 people.